The Dolhr Incident
by Mariko Midori
Summary: 2nd fanfic! While out on patrol, Cain and Abel are ambushed and separted. Will they find each other again or will they die beforehand? Bad summary, I know. Rated T for blood and some language. FINALLY COMPLETE! :)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Once again, we have to do patrol," a red-haired cavalier said. "Again!" "Cain, stop complaining," said his friend Abel. "Jagen and Prince Marth asked us to walk around the area and report back to them." Cain sighed. This wasn't his day. He didn't want to go, but he had no choice. "Do you want to take a break?" Abel asked, hoping his friend would be open to the idea. "Sure," his friend replied. They stopped at a spot in the forest, got off their horses and sat on the ground. "How long will it be before we're back in Altea?" Abel leaned back. "I don't know. I hope it's soon." A rustling sound came from the bushes, then a horde of armored men came out.

Back at camp, Marth and Jagen waited for Cain and Abel to return. "They've been gone longer than usual," the prince muttered. Jagen sighed. "I bet Cain caused trouble again." "Most likely," Marth commented. Then Malledus, the tactician, came up. "Sire, may I talk to you in private?" The prince nodded and they left, leaving Jagen alone in his thoughts. _Cain, Abel. Please come back safe._

The green-haired cavalier fought with all he had. He saw Cain get struck down, his blood splattered everywhere. _I need to get help_, Abel thought. He tried to get away, but a hand grabbed him by the throat and began to squeeze. "Not so tough, are ya?" a gruff voice sneered. "Altean scum." The man's grip tightened as he said this. Abel struggled to breathe, his vision darkening. He tried to pry his captor's fingers apart, but he didn't have any strength left in him. He let his body go limp and his world went dark.

Jagen grew more worried as each hour passed. Cain and Abel still haven't returned from patrol. What was taking them so long? Something inside the old warrior that something bad had happened, but ignored it. Jagen walked over to Prince Marth, who was talking to Caeda, princess of Talys. "Excuse me for the interruption, sire, but I was wondering if I could talk to you?" Marth nodded and turned to Caeda. "I'll be right back." "Okay." Caeda went to go check on Pegasus. "What is it?" the prince asked. "It's about Cain and Abel," Jagen said. "They haven't returned." Marth looked surprised. "They haven't?" Jagen shook his head. This wasn't good. It wasn't like them to disappear like this. "We need to find them." Marth said. "I'll go right away," Jagen replied and got on his horse and took off into the forest, where he found trails of blood. Jagen dismounted and followed the trails. The farther he went, the more his gut twisted and his heart dropped lower and lower. Then he found the worst kind of litter on the ground: dead bodies. Oh, god. "Cain! Abel!" Jagen called. "If you can hear me, please answer!" No response. Jagen looked around, hoping to find the two cavaliers alive. He noticed one body wasn't near the others. His hands were tied behind his back and a bag over his head. Jagen took out a dagger, cutting the rope and pulled the bag off the knight's head. His eyes widened in shock. He had found Abel with deep cuts all over his body and bruises on his neck. Jagen placed a hand on his throat, finding a weak pulse. _Who did this to you? _Jagen wondered. _And where is Cain?_ The paladin picked the younger up, carried him to his horse, then rushed back to camp.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry for not updating in a while. This will continue I'm afraid... :(**

**I hope you like the new chapter! disclaimer: you know the drill =^..^=**

Chapter 2

Marth was sitting in his tent, looking over the maps of the area. He heard people talking about Altea and the missing cavaliers in action. It was _such_ a depressing topic. Then he heard Jagen's voice. _Please tell me he found Cain and Abel,_ the prince silently pleaded. "Prince Marth," Malledus called. "Jagen requests your presence." Marth came out and hurried over to where the paladin was standing. Jagen motioned with his head to follow and the two walked over to a tent, where a red haired thief named Julian was standing. "Lena's waiting for you." Marth went inside, his eyes wide in shock.

He saw Abel laying on the ground with bandages around his arms and neck, his eyes closed. The cleric, Lena, looked up from her patient. "Is he alright?" Marth asked. Lena nodded slowly. "Yes, he's fine. His injuries were minor, thank goodness." She stared at the prince as if reading him. "Has Jagen filled you in on what happened?" Marth shook his head as Jagen came in. He and Lena told the prince everything, including not finding anything about Cain. Marth paled. He looked at the unconscious cavalier to Lena and Jagen. "Who would do something like this?"

Cain found himself on a battlefield against Dolhr's forces. He was tired and worn out, his lance was covered in blood like his armor. Then someone screamed in pain. Cain looked around and saw his best friend and comrade with a sword sticking out of him. "Abel!" Cain shouted as he rushed toward his fallen friend, holding his body in his arms. Cain tried desparately to wake Abel up, but his efforts were in vain. Abel, his best friend, was dead...

Cain's eyes snapped open and looked around. He was in a dark cell with no windows and no heat. "You're awake!" a voice said from the far side of the room. "I feared you were dead." "Who are you?" Cain asked as a woman walked over to him. "I'm Krystal," the woman said, laying a small hand on his forehead. "I'm a healer." The woman, Krystal, had short purple hair and gentle green eyes. _She's pretty,_ Cain thought as he introduced himself. Krystal propped him up and started to unwrap the bandage around his chest, revealing two deep gashes.

"What happened to you?" Krystal asked. "I was ambushed while out on patrol with a friend of mine." Cain answered, wincing as Krystal put medicine on his wounds. The last time he had gotten hurt this bad was back in the battle King Cornelius had died in. "Maybe you have been more careful." Krystal said as she wrapped fresh bandages on his chest. She could tell something was bothering him, but didn't ask what it was. "Where am I?" Cain asked. "You're in a prison that doesn't treat prisoners right." Krystal replied. The door suddenly swung open and two guards came in, followed by King Jiol of Gra.

"Well, well. This is a surprise." he sneered. He walked toward Cain, but Krystal stepped in front of him. "Leave him alone, Jiol." she growled. The king laughed. "Get out of the way, girl, if you want to see your brother again." Jiol motioned the guards to come over. One guard grabbed Krystal while the other guard grabbed Cain by the arm, pulling him off the bed. His legs almost gave out, but the guard holding him kept him from falling. The guard holding Krystal let her go and grabbed Cain's other arm. "You know where to take him." Jiol said. The guards nodded and dragged the prisoner away.

Jiol stayed behind and turned to the girl. "Are you nuts?" Krystal exclaimed. "He **just** woke up!" "I don't want to take the risk of him being an enemy spie," the king replied. "He's one of the enemies." He started to walk out of the room. "You better not hurt him anymore." Krystal said quietly. Jiol stopped in front of the door. "I won't hurt him," he said. "Much."

**Well, what do you think? Review! And also, can you find the TMNT reference in this chapter?**

**Hint: Its near the end.**


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Lena laid a wet cloth on Abel's forehead, then sponged his face. Three days have passed since the ambush. People have gone to look for Cain, but came back empty-handed. Lena informed Marth and Jagen of Abel's status, which hadn't changed. She poured a trickle of water down his throat, hoping he would wake up soon. At first, nothing happened. Then Abel started coughing, startling Lena. His eyes opened weakly and the cleric smiled.

"Welcome back," Lena said, softly.

Abel smiled back. "Thanks. How long have I been out?"

"Three days. Marth and Jagen keep asking about you."

As if on cue, the tent flap opened and Marth came in. He looked at Lena then saw Abel.

"You're awake," he said excitedly.

The cavalier nodded and noticed that Cain hadn't shown up.

"Is Cain around?" he asked.

The prince shook his head with a sigh.

"We haven't been able to find him for three days."

Abel's eyes widened. This wasn't like him.

"They must've taken them."

Marth looked interested.

"Them who?" he asked.

"There were this armored men that came out of nowhere and..." Abel's voice trailed off.

By then, Jagen had come in. He had a smile on his face.

"Glad to see you're better," he said.

Abel started to say something, but went into a coughing fit instead.

Later that night, Abel couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about Cain and wondered if he was still alive. He also had flashbacks of the ambush.

_Cain, hang on. We'll find you._

Abel closed his eyes and finally, falling asleep.

**A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is short so I'm sorry. That was all I could come up with when I wrote it out. Please review!**

**=^..^=**


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

Cain felt sore all over. His muscles were burning like crazy. No matter how many times Krystal relieved the pain, it seemed to get worse each day. Plus going to the Interrorgation room didn't help either. When Cain returned after his first visit, he had a black eye and a small trail of blood coming out of the corner of his mouth. Krystal freaked out, but kept her composure while the guards were in.

"Did you tell them anything?" she asked after the guards had left. Cain shook his head. "No. I would never betray my country."

He limped over to his bed and collasped on it. Since then, the two became best friends and each night they stayed up late telling stories about their past and other things. However one day would soon change that.

* * *

Cain hissed in pain as a whip cut his flesh. The guards had lead him out into a rock quarry and once again tried to get him to talk, but were failing epically. "Come on, Altean scum. TALK!" a guard roared in the prisoner's face. "You're not going to make me." Cain smirked.

"Oh, we have a wise ass, do we?" a second guard sneered. He punched Cain in the gut and face, then yanked his hair. "Listen to me, punk. You maybe a member of the military, but here you're nothing but a piece of dirt, got it?"

Cain didn't answer him. "Answer him!" the first guard yelled. No response. "Fine, have it your way." the other grunted.

He let go of the red- head and heard a sigh of relief. Then, Cain let out a cry of pain as the guard's whip sliced his back and side. The pain intensified with each crack. Then a voice shouted in the distance, "Stop! Leave him alone!"

The whipping suddenly stopped. Cain was in a shit load of pain. He felt his blood running down his back and onto the ground. His vision was blurry, eventually fading to black.

* * *

Krystal's eyes widened when she saw her friend on the ground, unconsious. She gingerly layed her hand on his back and muttered a healing charm. The wounds closed up and Cain's breathing relaxed. Krystal glared at the guards. "What the **hell** were you thinking?" she demanded.

The guards stared at her like idiots. "We were just following orders," the first one said. The second one was about to add something when they heard a moan. Krystal looked over and saw Cain's eyes fluttering open. "Take him back to his cell," a voice ordered behind them.

It was General/King Jiol with his pathetic bodyguards. The other two hauled the prisoner up and dragged him back to his cell. Krystal turned to Jiol with fear filled eyes. Needless to say, she was afraid of him. "What do you want?"

The general simply smiled and motioned with his hand for her to follow him. She took a quick glance over her shoulder and trailed the general. She was led inside the compound, down the corridor, and into a room.

"Here she is," Jiol said. A dark, cloaked figure stirred in the far corner. "Bring her to me," a loud, booming voice said. Krystal walked forward a little ways, her heart pounding. Something was telling her that something was off. "You can leave Jiol." the voice said.

Krystal heard the door shut and evil laughter. Fear swelled up inside her. Her eyes widened as a hand came out, holding a shiny orb.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the very late update. Just to clarify somethings up, Krystal is the medic/caretaker in the prison. Whoever can guess who the cloaked person is gets their own virtual tome of their choosing! R&R**


	5. Important notice

**IMPORTANT NOTICE! I know all of you are waiting for me to update my stories, but to due having computer issues I will not be able to update them...unless there is some time during school to do it. **

**Please keep an eye out for any updates I might post. Please accept my apologies!**

**=^..^=  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 5

Cain was roughly thrown into his cell and landed on the floor. He pushed himself up, walked over to his bed, and sat down. _I need to get out of here,_ he thought. The thought of escaping was on his mind, but the constant beatings were taking their toll on him. He wondered when or if Abel or Marth would save him. They could come any time now! How hard is it for them to find him? The sound of the door slamming open snapped Cain from his thoughts. He looked up to see guards coming in. _Here we go again._

* * *

Abel, Jagen, and Merric walked into a nearby village under the order to find any information that will help with their search for Cain.

"Finally, somewhere peaceful." Merric said.

"Yeah, its nice." Abel added.

Jagen nodded in agreement, but suddenly stopped walking. He could see four large towers in the distance, looming over the village like storm clouds. Merric's voice broke his thoughts.

"Are you alright?" the mage asked.

The paladin nodded. "I'm fine."

Merric opened his mouth, but shut it after earning a harsh glare from Abel. As soon as they entered the village, the three went their own ways.

* * *

Cain was led down the hallway and into a room filled with weapons perfect for beating people. He was chained to the wall by his arms as his shirt was torn off his body, revealing a large X-shaped scar across his chest.

"Why am I here?" he asked. A swift punch in the gut was his answer. "We ask the questions around here," a guard snarled.

"Why? So you can believe everything I say?" Cain taunted. "Or you guys are wusses and don't want your asses handed to you?"

The guard punched him again. "Thats enough out of you."

"Whatever."

That pissed the guard off. He grabbed a nearby whip and started whipping the Altean. Cain only yelped once while this was going on. He got slashed twice on his face and over twenty on his body. Blood flowed freely from the open wounds. Then the guard grabbed Cain's neck in a really tight grip.

"Are you ready to talk now?" the guard sneered (**how can he when being choked?**).

Cain shook his head as best as he could as he struggled to breathe. His vision was fading rapidly. Suddenly, another guard came in. "What are you doing?" he shouted. "Stop!"

The other let go of the prisoner and walked over to him. Cain could barely make out the guards talking before his eyes closed.

* * *

Abel walked into a pub, knowing he could get some information. He went to the bartender and ordered a shot. "You new around here?" the bartender asked.

The Altean nodded. "Yes sir." He suddenly remembered seeing the four towers on the other side of the village.

"You came at a bad time," the bartender said.

"How come?" Abel asked.

"Have you seen the four towers outside of town?"

"Yeah."

"People here call it the 'Hell Hole'. Every so often soldiers would go out and capture any enemy soldiers they find. In fact, they brought one in about a week ago."

Abel's eyes brightened. "Really? A friend of mine has been missing for a week."

The bartender's eyes did the same. "Did he have red hair and red armor?"

"Yes. They left me for dead after they ambushed me and my friend."

The bartender leaned in and motioned Abel to do the same. "There is one guy whose sister was taken there five years ago. He's been posing as a guard, but really he has been trying to find a way to save her. He'll know a lot more than I do."

"What is his name?" Abel asked.

"Kelgar."

"Where can I find him?"

"He'll be here in fifteen minutes." the bartender answered. "He sneaks out and talks to the families of loved ones that had been taken."

Abel downed the shot, ordered another and waited for this 'Kelgar' person to show up. Just as the bartender said, Kelgar came dressed in his uniform. "Hey, Tel!"

"Yo, Kelgar! Want the usual?" Kelgar sat next to Abel. "You betcha."

Tel got the drink ready. "Any luck on saving your sister?" he asked.

"No," Kelgar sighed. "but I think I'm getting close. I had to stop some dumbass from whipping the new prisoner to death."

Tel stopped as Abel paled. It was obvious to the "guard" that they had been talking about him. "Were you guys just talking about him?"

"Yeah," Tel said, motioning towards Abel. "Turns out the new prisoner is this guy's friend. What's your name?"

"Abel," the cavalier answered.

"I'm Telemachus, but everyone calls me Tel." the bartender said with a smile.

"Well, I gotta go," Kelgar said as he finished his drink. "I don't want them grilling me." He stood up and walked out. Abel followed him. "Hey Kelgar!"

The "guard" turned around. "What?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Tell Cain I'm going to get him out of there."

Kelgar looked into Abel's eyes, noting how they were flashing with determination. He nodded and walked away.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 6

Kelgar returned to the 'Hell Hole' and went down to the block the soldier was being held. He opened the door and walked in. It didn't look like the soldier had regain consciousness during the time he was gone. Kelgar unchained Cain from the wall gently laying him on the ground. He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and shook him. Cain let out a weak cough and opened his eyes. He looked up at the guard, wondering why he was concerned about him.

"Are you okay?" the guard asked.

Cain nodded as he sat up with a little help. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kelgar or Kel," the guard replied. "Don't worry. I'm not like the other guards."

_I sort of figured,_ Cain thought as he got to his feet. The two stumbled out of the room and headed to Cain's cell. Kel sat the red head on the bed and started bandaging his injuries.

"Why are you helping me?" Cain asked, confused.

"I'm pretending to work for them so I can save my sister," Kel replied. "Plus I ran into a friend of yours."

"Who?"

" A green haired guy named Abel. He said 'I'll get you out of here'."

Cain's eyes widened. He hadn't seen his friend for days or weeks and thought Abel was dead, but apparently not.

"Was he alright?"

"Seemed to be. He was more worried about you than anything." Kel got up and walked out the door thinkning of a plan.

* * *

Over the next few days, Kel snuck out to meet with Abel and told him of a plan to get Cain out. Abel then passed it onto Marth who gave him permission to execute it whenever the time was right. Everything was going as planned until...

EXECUTION: TODAY AT HIGH NOON OPEN TO PUBLIC

Abel read the note with disbelief. Why would there be an execution now? A thought hit him. Was it Cain? Abel walked into Tel's bar and slumped on a seat. Tel looked at him, knowing he saw the notice.

"Have you heard who it is?" he asked.

Abel sighed. "No, but I think I know who it is."

Kel suddenly rushed up Abel, panic written all over his face. "We need to execute the plan. Now."

* * *

Cain sat in his cell, his head in his arms. He was told he was going to be hanged without a reason, probably because he's apart of Marth's forces. Cain's body was bruised and he felt weak and beaten.

_How did I let this happen?_ he thought. _How?_

His cell opened and a guard came in. "It's time."

* * *

A sniper sat in a tree with his bow at hand. He heard a fellow comerade was going to be killed. The sniper in the tree was Jeorge. He took an arrow from his quiver, hooked it to his bow, and waited for the right moment to fire.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 7

Abel hid himself among the crowd while Kel stood with the other guards. They watched a group of guards bring Cain out. Abel hasped when he saw how pale and thin his friend was. His face was bruised and cut. What have they done to him? the executioner put the loop around Cain's neck, tightened it, and stepped aside for General Jiol to make his speech.

* * *

Jeorge waited for this moment. He needed the general to move so he can get a clean shot. The sniper pulled his bow back, aimed, and fired. A smile spread across his face.

* * *

The executioner placed his hand on the lever, and was about to push down when an arrow suddenly appeared. It made a clean cut through the rope. Then another arrow appeared, this time in his chest. He was dead before he hit the ground.

* * *

Abel shot Kel the signal and attacked the guards in the front. Kel cut Cain's wrists free, slung his arm around him, and dragged the redhead to safety. Abel caught up to them and slung the other arm around him. They slid the cavalier to the ground before leaning him against the wall. Cain opened his eyes to see his best friend smile and Kel breath a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness you're okay," he said as he watched Abel hand Cain a flask of water.

"About time I see you," Cain joked after taking a swig.

"Sorry. Must've missed the invite," his friend retorted. He looked at his friend with concern. "What did they do to you?"

The look on Cain's face told the grunette that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Sorry to intrude on the reunion," Kel said. "But we need to get going. The other squad is coming." He looked at Cain. "Are you able to walk?"

The cavalier nodded. "I think so," he replied.

He stood up with Abel's help and took a few steps. His legs were a little wobbly, but fine. They took off down the hallway and made a sharp left to the weapons room. Kel tossed Cain a steel sword while he grabbed his silver ax and Abel found a steel lance.

"Ready?" Kel asked.

His companions nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

Gharnef wasn't pleased with the situation. He wanted the Altean prince to watch his comrade get executed, but it didn't happened.

"Why didn't he show up?" he wondered out loud.

Then his servant appeared. "I have returned," she said, bowing.

"Did you locate the two Alteans?" Gharnef asked.

His servant nodded. "Yes, I have. What are my next orders?"

The sorcerer flashed her an evil smile.

* * *

**A/N: So, what did you think? There are two chapters left and I will warn you, you might hate me after chapter 8. I'm not telling you why. R&R! =^..^= =^..^=**


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 8

Cain, Abel and Kel fought their way through the prison, hacking and slicing any enemy that stood in their path. It was tiring, but for a certain redhead it felt oh so good to be back in action.

"After all this time, Cain and you haven't lost your touch," Abel commented. _He's enjoying this too much. _

"You know I aim to please," Cain smirked.

Abel shook his head. "Don't you do that all the time?"

The trio ran down the main hallway when the doors suddenly slammed shut. Of course.

"I believe you boys made a wrong turn," a feminine voice said.

"Who are you?" Kel demanded. "Show yourself!"

A figure stepped out of the shadows laughing. "Oh brother, you don't know me? I'm hurt, surely you should know your sister."

Kel's eyes widened. "Krystal?"

The cavaliers looked at the siblings, each other then back. "Wait, Krystal is your sister?" Cain asked.

Before the older sibling could reply, he was sent backwards as a spell hit him. Krystal smiled. "One down. Two to go."

* * *

Gharnef was watching the battle through a sphere. "Yes," he said. "The plan is working perfectly."

However, his happy mood was broken when Jiol came in. "My lord, the Altean army broke through the prison!"

The sorcerer nodded, for he knew the prince would come. "He's finally here."

* * *

The cavaliers fought as hard as they could. They had dodged their opponent's attacks, but they couldn't get close to her.

"How are we suppose to beat her?" Cain asked.

"I thought you had some ideas," Abel responded.

"I didn't know she knew magic!"

Cain let out a sudden yelp as a fireball slammed into him. Abel watched in horror as his friend was covered with burns as he fell to the ground. His mind flashed back to the ambush: Cain being struck down as the other was being chocked to death. Abel was violently brought back to reality as he was hit by a spell. His vision flickered dark for a moment. He looked up to see Krystal standing before him, her hand resting on his forehead.

"Time for you to die," she whispered.

* * *

Kel heard someone screaming and opened his eyes. He saw a burnt limp form lying on the ground as he got up and walked over to him, gently shaking the body. "Cain. Cain, wake up."

Cain's eyes immediately shot open. "Where's Abel?" he asked.

Kel shrugged. "I don't know,"

Then they heard a blood curdling scream. Cain, knowing it was his friend, and Kel ran to where the scream was. When they arrived, they saw Abel writhing in pain while Krystal looked at them with a sick, twisted smile on her face.

"Leave him alone," Kel shouted.

"Why should I?" his sister asked. "He makes my spell work perfectly."

Cain, unable to hold his anger, charged at her with his sword poised in a deadly position. Krystal merely dodged it and attacked him. Kel used this to his advantage and ran over to the fallen warrior. Abel was still writhing in pain and coughing up blood, his eyes dull. The only thing Kel could do was to hold him down and attempt to comfort him. Thankfullly there were no external injuries. Kel could hear Cain fighting his sister and suddenly got an idea. Would it work?

"Krystal, come here," he commanded.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" she retorted.

"Duh. I want a hug from my little sister."

Krystal looked from her opponent to her brother and gave in. As Kel's arms wrapped around her, her eyes changed from bright gold back to green. She looked up at her brother with wide eyes.

"Kelgar," she whispered, tears flowing from her eyes.

"Its okay, Krystal," he cooed. "Its okay."

* * *

Cain rushed over to where Abel was laying. He dropped next to him and cradled his friend in his arms.

"Abel? Abel, can you hear me?" he asked.

The grunette didn't respond except for his ragged breathing. He started coughing and a sputter of blood landed on Cain's shirt. His eyes opened slightly dazed.

"Cain, is that you?" he rasped.

"Yes, its me," Cain replied, relieved.

"I'm sorry," his friend said.

"For what?"

Abel's vision and voice started to fade. "For not getting you out of here myself." With that, his eyes slid closed. His body fell limp.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't hate me! You will find out in the next chapter if Abel lives or not. And if you were wondering if Krystal remembers what happened, my answer is I don't know. I'll leave that to my fellow readers.**

**R&R! =^..^= =^..^=**


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 9

Marth stood next to Cain outside the room Abel was in while Krystal tended to his injuries. She came out a short time later, pale and shaky.

"How's Abel?" the prince asked.

Krystal sighed. "He's not doing good. The dark magic really took a toll on him." She knew this would hit them hard, especially Cain.

Marth looked at him then back to Krystal. "Can we see him?"

"Of course. Don't stay too long now."

Cain went in the room first, followed by Marth. They held their breath at the sight before them. Here in the bed lied the Panther, Abel, covered by a single sheet. His skin was deathly pale and his chest barely rose and fell. He looked like death itself, but somehow he's hanging on by a thread. A really thin thread. Cain pulled up a chair from the nightstand to the bed and sat down.

"I can't believe this happened," he muttered.

Marth laid a hand on his shoulder. "Neither can I," he said.

The redhead sighed. "Why? Why did this happen to him? He doesn't deserve this!"

Deep down, Marth wished there was some way to make the cavalier better. "No one does, Cain. He believed he was protecting you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do! I just don't understand."

"I don't understand as well. I think all of us being here with Abel will make him better. It just takes time."

Cain hoped Marth was right. _You better wake up soon bud. Otherwise I might have to find another sparring partner._

* * *

A few days passed and Abel was still unconscious. Cain rarely left his side, spending most of his time alone. He wouldn't eat anything unless he was forced to. Jagen, who was concerned about the green clad man, started to worry about Cain as well. He often thought of them as the two sons he never had and they were as close as brothers. One night, the old man went to check on Abel and found Cain asleep in the chair, his head resting on his arms on the bed. The old paladin smiled. He grabbed a stray blanket and draped it over the young cavalier then left the room.

* * *

Cain jolted awake when he felt someone gently shake him. He looked up to see Krystal standing next to him.

"Sorry to bother you, but I need to check on Abel."

"Message received, my lady," Cain teased while moving out of the way.

She rolled her eyes and preceded to examine the unconscious body. Cain watched her with admiration. There was something about her he couldn't put his finger on. It wasn't the fact she could heal people without a staff, but something else. The red head was drawn from his thoughts when Krystal snapped her fingers in his face.

"Do want something?" he asked.

"Yes. I was telling you that Abel's condition improved and he should be waking up anytime now." Krystal replied, slightly annoyed.

Cain's eyes lit up for the first time in two weeks. "Awesome! Its about time we got some good news."

The girl nodded, finally happy to see her friend happy as well. She quickly left the room to tell the others, leaving Cain behind. He walked towards the door when he heard something stirring from the other side of the room. Abel's eyes fluttered, then slowly opened. He took in his surroundings and was extremely confused. Cain quickly rushed to his side with a huge smile on his face.

"Morning sleeping beauty," he said.

"Good morning to you as well," Abel replied. "Where am I?"

"We are in the Dragon's Nest. Its Kelgar and Krystal's inn."

Abel tried to sit up, but Cain stopped him with a hand. "Don't try to get up yet."

Just as he said that, Krystal returned with Marth, Jagen, Merric and Kelgar. They were all surprised to see their friend and comrade awake.

"Well, this is a surprise," Kel said.

"I'm too old for this," Jagen muttered.

Merric chuckled and Marth had a small smile on his face.

"Did I miss anything?" Abel asked.

Cain looked at Marth, then back to his friend. "Well-"

* * *

**Flashback**

"Abel! Abel, dammit wake up!" Cain yelled. "Abel!"

His friend didn't respond. His body was limp. There was no sign of him breathing. Fearing for his friends' life, Cain placed a hand on Abel's neck only to feel nothing. He fought back tears as the result set in. He heard footsteps coming up behind him.

"Cain?" a soft, gentle voice inquired. "Cain, what's wrong?"

He looked up at the girl behind him, tears rolling down his face and his voice cracked. "Abel is dead!"

Krystal gasped. She knelt next to the cavalier and put a hand on Abel's wrist. Her eyes widened.

"You are not going to believe this," she said.

"What?" Cain mumbled.

"Abel is still alive."

Cain just stared at her. "Are you serious?"

"Put your hand on his neck."

The redhead did as he as told and found a weak but steady pulse.

"How is he still alive?"

"I don't know," Krystal said. "but we need to get him out of here. Fast."

There was a large explosion and a voice saying, "That's one way of opening a door."

"Nice job, bro," Krystal commented. She turned to Cain. "Lets get Abel out of here!"

"Right." Cain, with help from a certain female, got Abel on his back and headed out with Krystal and Kelgar.

**Flashback end**

* * *

"After that, we ran into Prince Marth and Kelgar led us here," Cain finished.

Abel took a deep breath as his brain absorbed this information. "Wow."

"Cain never left your side," Jagen said.

He looked around at all of the faces in the room and lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry for making you ally worried," he said ashamed.

Krystal walked up and sat on the edge of the bed. "You don't need to apologize. I do." She lifted his chin up to meet his eyes. "I sincerely apologize for my actions against you. I didn't mean to harm you and make your friends worry."

Marth wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of the right words to say. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and locked eyes with her, which made Caeda a little jealous. Krystal saw the unspoken sincere words in the prince's eyes and smiled. She glanced back at Abel and saw he had fallen back asleep.

"Lets leave Abel to rest," she said, standing up.

Everyone left the room, except for Krystal and Cain. He hadn't budged since Abel woke up.

"Come on Cain," she said. "He'll be fine."

The cavalier reluctantly left the room with Krystal behind him.

"Get some sleep," she said, eyeing the dark circles under his eyes. "You really need it."

Cain nodded. "Yes, commander." he teased.

He went to his room and laid down on the bed. He was glad that Abel was awake, but what about his mental health? Would that effect him in the future? His eyes began to droop, then slowly closed.

* * *

A couple days later, the Altean army was standing outside the village with Krystal and Kelgar. Abel had fully recovered and was ready for battle.

"Thank you for everything," Marth said.

The siblings bowed or curtsied. "No problem," Kel replied. "Helping out is what we do."

Krystal walked up to Marth and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and she walked over to where Cain and Abel were standing. They were having a conversation, but stopped when Krystal approached them.

"I'm sorry to see you go so soon," she said.

"Yeah. I wished we could stay longer," Abel replied. "Thank you for everything."

"Big time," Cain added.

Krystal smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

With that, she kissed them on the cheek and walked back to her brother. The two watched her dumbstruck. Jagen had witnessed the whole thing and strolled over to them.

"So, what was it like being kissed by a girl?" he asked jokingly.

"Y-You saw that?" Cain stammered.

"The whole thing?" Abel asked.

The old man nodded. "I bet you two were surprised."

"You should have seen the look on their faces!" Merric shouted.

The red clad warrior's blush matched his armor while the other looked like a christmas tree. The others yelled at the poor mage to shut up and leave the two alone. Krystal and Kelgar watched the Altean army disappear in the distance, waving and hoping to see them again some day.

* * *

**A/N: Its finally complete! Huzza! I hoped you enjoyed TDI as much as I did. Plz R&R!**

**=^..^= =^..^=**


End file.
